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The Northern Territory government and AFLNT say the territory could see its own AFL team take to the field within the next decade, as they release a road map including plans for a new city stadium.
A business case published on Thursday recommends the federal government be asked to help fund construction of a long-mooted stadium in Darwin's CBD, in the hopes it would make an NT bid for a 20th AFL licence more compelling.
It says construction of a new stadium within the next seven to 10 years could cost between $700 million and $735 million.
It comes after Tasmania was awarded the 19th licence last year, despite plans to build a new waterfront stadium in Hobart being met with resistance.
The 210-page report envisages a new NT side could enter the competition "shortly after Tasmania in 2028", but admits it would need the federal government to "support the delivery of the key stadium and other infrastructure" in both Darwin and Alice Springs.
Announcing the plan at a press conference on Thursday, AFLNT chairman Sean Bowden said the economic case for an NT team was "very strong".
"This will complete the AFL, it will make the AFL a truly national competition," he said.
"Ultimately, the biggest challenges for us are going to be … making sure our talent pathways are strong, the conditioning of players, and just winning the belief of the national competition that this is the right place and that we can take our rightful place in that competition."
NT Chief Minister Eva Lawler said the business case showed an NT-based side would be a net-positive for the territory economy, and spruiked its potential to lead to better social and health outcomes for the NT.
"That business case shows that the value of an AFL team would be about $116 million per annum to the Northern Territory, and it would employ around 160 people every year," Ms Lawler said.
After the NT last year lost thousands of people to interstate migration, Ms Lawler also argued an AFL side could address the NT's "liveability factor" and help retain more people in the territory.
But Mr Bowden also said the push to establish a team in Darwin and Alice Springs would need support from the AFL, its teams and the broader community.
"The talent that is just imbued in the Northern Territory amongst so many of our young people has to have that opportunity," he said.
"Talent pathways are critical.
"We want to see a dozen new Cyril Riolis, we want to see half a dozen new Andrew McLeods."
He said a new CBD stadium would "realise the full ambition" for the AFL side, and could even attract visitors from South East Asia.
The AFLNT team taskforce that helped complete the business case includes some of the biggest names in AFL, including former AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, Collingwood star Nathan Buckley and Adelaide Crows player Andrew McLeod.